Metal cross bridging



Dec. 7, 1943- E. c. MEULENBERGH 2,455,904

METAL CROSS BRIDGING File sept. 25, 1945 INVENTOR @gf/f i HTTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 7, 1'948 I ZUNITED STATES PATENT o-FFICE METAL CROSS BRIDGING Emil C. Meulenbergh, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 25, 1945, Serial No. 618,528 y (c1. -9)

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in metal cross -braces or bridging for floor joists, Wall studding and the like.

Objects and advantages of the invention will' the description, serve to explain'the principles of the invention.

Objects of this invention are to Iprovide an improved metal cross brace or bridging unit offering superior resistance to twisting under tension and stretching under load; to provide a bridging unit having a minimum of dust collecting surfaces thus reducing the rst hazard normallyv incident to the use of such devices; to provide i.

a bridging unit offering more space for pipes required to be passed therethrough; and, to provide a bridging unit which will afford a minimum of splitting of wood beams to which it may be attached and which is particularly adapted for use with joists or beams on different centers and of different depths. Y

Of. the drawingsr Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view taken through adjacent floor joists, showing the `novel application of the metal bridging units of this invention; Y

Figure 2 is a plan view of ythe improved metal bridgingk as applied to4 adjacent joists, the view being taken onthe line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one end of an arm of the bridging unit as applied to a floor joist; and,

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary views of the attaching ends of an arm of the bridging unit for application to a floorjoist.

lIn general, there is provided in accordance with this invention a pair of thin flat metal arms which arepivotally connected at their `centers in face-to-face relation. Each arm is axially twisted at each end through an arc of substantially ninety degrees to provide a relatively short at anchoring, attaching or nailing portion at each end by which the bridging 1s adapted to be nailed or otherwise securely anchored to the i top and .bottom faces of adjacent beams.

These attaching portions are apertured for the passage of nails, screws or other suitable fastening means into the beams, the apertures being preferably offset from each other so that splitting of the beams by in-line nails will be avoided. When installing the bridging to brace a pair of adjacent parallel beams, the pair of attaching portions at opposite ends of each arm are bent to opposite sides of the axis of the arm substantially at the start of the twist in the arm so as to parallel, or substantially parallel, each other at 0pposite sides of the arms lengthwise axis. The corresponding ends of each pair of arms are then secured, as by nailing, to the top and bottom faces of the joist, stud or other beam disposed therebetween so that each twisted po-rtion will be disposed substantially at the edge of the attaching face of the beam. Since the attaching' portions of the arms terminate at their inner ends 'at the twists in the arms, each bridging unit may be dimensioned so as to be adapted for use with beams of selected diiferent depths disposed on diiierent centers. Thus, for example a bridging dimensioned for floor joists of a given'l depth on twelve inch centers may be used for floor joists on proportionally less depth, but

greater width, disposed, for example, on sixteen inch centers. In both cases however, the twisted portion inthe respective arms will lie at the edge of the beams and so will serve to position the beams accurately on centers with relation to each other.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well areexemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the accoms panying drawing, there is depicted bridging units in accordance with this invention as applied to the spacing and bracing of floor joists l disposed in the usual fashion in parallel relation to each other on the required centers. The ,joists l, as shown form apart of a typical oor structure comprising the rough flooring or planking 2 capping thejoists, and also comprising the finish flooring 3.

In the embodiment shown, each bridging unit comprises a pair of arms ll of equal length assembled in face-to-face relation and pivotally connected midway of their ends by a rivet or other suitable pivot pin 5. Each of the arms 4 is preferably formed from a fiat strip of metal which is relatively narrow in relation to its length and is correspondingly thin. As embodied, each arm on the longitudinal" axis of the strip, the twistbeing through an angle of substantially ninetyv degrees. Preferably, the twist imparted adjacent each end of each strip is in the same direction, either clockwise or counterclockw-ise, as

viewed axially of the strip from either end. By this formation, the arms may be" assembled so that the bridging unit in its. closed position will. have its arms in substantially wholly overlying relation with the twisted portions of eachapair of corresponding ends in substantially nesting relation. to eachother. The closed unity thus will occupy a minimum of space and packaging of many units together for storage and shipment, will` be greatly facilitated. Alternatively-,- howeven, the; opposite ends of eacharm may be twisted inopposite directions ina single.- operationV to-si-mpiify the fabricationof the arms.

Each.attachingfportion-.S in the unit, as fabricated, will have its plane. at right angles to-the plane-mfI the-central web-or body portionof theA ari-ng. asisbestshown in Figure 4. Openings 8.- ar-e; formed ineach attaching portionv 6 for the passage of. nails or the like into thebeam. to which'the unit is to be-secured. The openings- 8. are preferably disposed in more or less staggered'relation to-each other, thereby to avoid, as much as possible, the positioning of the nailsin rows which would tend to split the beam along-i thegrain of the wood.

In: its application. for. two beam-bridging asrirr Figures: l' and 2, each bridging unit is placed be*- tweenthe beams i' with the twisted portions 1 at; oir-substantially at, the edges of the beams. I` asis best seen in l'liguretv 3; and-with'the attach-.- ing portions B. bent over onto the top or4 bottomk off the-beam, as the case maybe. The unit may then be. nailed securely to the. beams, as' by nails inpassingV through. the openings 8', and the eXtra: lengthv lil, ifl any, of the attaching. portion 6,. bent. down against. the vertical faceof the beamv soa-s not to-collect dust andcreate aviire-hazard;

As.' willi beseens in Figure 2, the bridging units may be disposed in rows between the beams on they mayY be installed in any other suitable fashiony asf required. By reason of the thinness.

ofi, the. metalv strips` of: which the arms 41 are:

formed', .they` provide.y a minimum; of dusttcollectzing.v surface thereby reducingl the fire hazard incident to the use off the broad surfacev wooden;

bridging'l members conventionally employed. Moreover, this same-thinness characterising the attaching.' portions 6?, ensures that there will. beVV ncr. appreciable interference. with' the-leveling.v of an: overlying surface such as the flooring 2; Off evenn more importance, however, it will be readily` apparenty that by` having the twisted portions of" the arms disposed at the inner terminus of' the.

flat attaching portions 6, the tendency for these twisted. portions tountwist under tensile stress is 4 measurably reduced andthe unit also is able to serve as an accurate spacing tool for beams of a given height requiring a related spacing on centers. It will be obvious that Where 10W, wide beams on wide centers are to be used, the attaching portion 6 will need to be of greater length than Where higher, narrower beams are used on narrower centers. The attaching portion 6 is therefore made of a length adequate to permit use of the bridging unit"a witl'i beams: off' different thickness and theunneeded lengthl may be bent over when used on narrower beams as shown in Figure 3.

The. invention in its broader aspects is not limited tov the specific mechanisms shown and described butldepartures may be made therefrom within the scope. of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantage.

What I claimis:

1. An adjustable. bridging' for. building: struc-- tures comprising a pair of brace armspivotauy.- connected to each' other, said brace=arms respectively compr-ising a` pair of. substantially fia-tapertured attaching portions for eng-aging'the top and bottom surfaces of.- a pair of spaced b.eams-,. ay substantially.- flat webportion disposed betweenisaid attaching portions at` substantiallyt Aright angles to each, and a pair ofconnecting twist portions separately connecting said attaching por-tions to the. adjacent endsof said webportion, each-,said twist portion. being loca-ted substantially at` theinner terminus ofthe attaching portion to whichit is connected so as to belocated substantially-.atanedgegof the beamin the installed positionof the bridging.

2. The combination with a pairofspacedbeams' of bridging units comprising a. pair' of bracel arms pivotally- .connected midway ofthein ends, each. said brace arm comprising an elon gated sheet metal-blanktwisted. on itsilengthwise4 axis through an. angler of; approximately ninety degrees at substantially equal distances from. each4 end, and having; a-at web portion.'betweenv the twist. portions, andV having a flat apertured attachingy portion. at each. end extending: anguzlarly` outwardlyofthe longitudinal axis of. said: blankfrom a line extending transversely of'said blank. substantially-f at the twist portion, each: pair" ofY attaching portions at the: corresponding ends of said brace arms engaging a--pairfof oppossite faces of the respective beamsfrom and outwardly of said transverse-.lines-towardthe ends of said attaching; portions; andsecuring means; passingthroughthe apertures in said attaching portions into holding engagement with said:

beams: y

I EMIL C, MEULENBERGH.

REFERENCES CITED The-following references are of record inf thele of this patent;

UNITEDr STATES PATENTS 

